Seahawks look to another name from college ranks for OC opening, and it's a bad idea

The Mike Macdonald hire by the Seattle Seahawks was different, so anything but that would be out of place for his ensuing offensive coordinator hire. Macdonald made a name for himself working for The Harbaugh Brothers, both Jim at Michigan and John in Baltimore. Now in his late 30s, the University of Georgia grad is looking at making a splashy hire to his offensive coordinator post, one from college...

While new Alabama offensive coordinator and former Washington offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb has been tied to the job, apparently, UCLA head coach Chip Kelly wants to go back to the NFL. He has been at UCLA since 2018, but previously led the Philadelphia Eagles from 2013-15 and the San Francisco 49ers in 2016. He also was the head coach at Oregon from 2009-12, his best job to date.

Another candidate for the gig is New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka. While he has spent all but one year coaching in the NFL since retiring from playing, he does have a strong attachment to his alma mater of Northwestern. Kafka was in serious consideration to be the next head coach of the Seahawks. He could be in play as well, but the potential Kelly fit is so fascinating.

We all remember who the Oregon Ducks head coach was when we got our learner's permits, right?

Mike Bellotti was well on his way to being a College Football Hall of Famer when I could learn to drive.

NFL rumors: Seattle Seahawks looking hard at Chip Kelly to be their OC

I gotta be honest with you. I don't like this fit at all. We've kind of been there, done that with Chip Kelly. While he hates recruiting more than fido despises his bi-weekly bath, Kelly's uptempo spread offense doesn't have sustainability in the NFL game because of where the hashmarks are on the field. There is less space to work with, as well as better athletes, ones who have wives, families and mortgages.

Demanding people to meticulously measure every waking second of your day, especially when it comes to paramount hydration levels is a great way to get full-grown men to completely tune you out. Kelly initially had success in Philadelphia with Andy Reid's players, but he got progressively worse with each passing year as an NFL head coach. The 49ers were festering garbage under his watch.

Look. I get that college football is changing, and pivoting away from the way Kelly does things. You have to actively recruit players all the time, especially your own to avoid being poached. Well, Kelly just lost two key assistants of his 2023 Bruins staff. Ken Niumatalolo is taking over at San Jose State and D'Anton Lynn could not get out of Dodge fast enough, as he would rather work for Lincoln Riley.

Overall, Macdonald would be in a far better place hiring either Grubb or Kafka over Kelly. Grubb is on the rise in the coaching profession, as is Kafka to some degree. Kelly is a fading star as a coach, one who could not stop the worst team to win a national championship in my lifetime. Cam Newton carried that 2010 Auburn team like nobody's business. He gave Gene Chizik a national championship.

Kelly was a great head coach when I was in college, back when President Biden was just a Veep, bruh.